NEW YORK STATE -- Thirty Senate republicans and two senate democrats completely caught the Capitol by surprise Monday when they called for an immediate vote to make Pedro Espada the new President Pro Temp of the Senate and Dean Skelos the Vice President Pro Temp and Majority Leader.

Senate democrats called for an adjournment before the vote was taken and then most of the Senate democrats walked off the floor, but because a majority of members were still present, they continued with the proceedings.

Senate republicans are calling this so called new majority a bi-partisan coalition. If this leadership change holds, Pedro Espada will be New York's first Hispanic President Pro Temp.

Senate republicans, along with democratic Senators Espada and Monserate, have been in discussions they say for quite some time with billionaire Tom Golisano to make this happen.

Golisano, founder of Responsible New York, a political committee, says senate democrats campaigned on the promise of major reforms to state government, but has made no effort to actually live up to those promises.

On Monday, Skelos said they've taken the first steps toward real reform.

"The most important thing is the rules changes we passed today to open up the process. Because this has been a totally closed process and the people didn't know and the members didn't know. This is opening up the process which is most important to the people,” Skelos said.

Senate democrats, meanwhile, say what republicans and the two dissenting democrats did Monday was illegal, saying they did not have a quorum, or two-thirds vote.

Senator Malcolm Smith maintains that he is still the Majority Leader and President Pro Temp of the Senate and democrats are still in control. Smith says it's sad senate republicans would stoop to this level of distraction, when there are important issues the state needs to address. He stopped short of blaming Monserate and Espada for the disruption.

"When you are adjourned, you are adjourned and you can't just assume that because you have 32 votes you can walk out there and everything changes. So let’s be clear. The Senate majority is still in democratic hands and will be in democratic hands. And we will finish our business. And we will adjourn and go home at the appropriate time," Smith said.

A counsel to senate republicans tells us all you need is 32 votes for a quorum vote and says session wasn't adjourned as democrats claim, saying you can only adjourn if a majority of the members agree and the majority of members wanted to continue with the vote.

Meanwhile, the Governor held a news conference later in the evening, visibly upset with the day’s events. He says he's incensed that the coup Monday is despicable, simply a distraction from the issues that legislators should be addressing during the last couple weeks of the session.

"The last two weeks of session not the time to conduct campaigns. It is not the time when we elect leaders, it is not the time for politics, it is the time for governance. And since that time has been taken away from us, than I ask when do we get around to governing. Right now, I don't know the answer, but I will not allow this to go on much further," Paterson said.

The Governor says he still recognizes Senator Smith as the Majority Leader of the Senate because it is in dispute whether Monday's events were legal. He says if necessary, he will ask legislators to stay later this session.

The so-called new majority plans to reconvene session Wednesday afternoon, even though Smith says they don't have the authority to do so.